At St Mary’s we are so blessed to be surrounded everyday by the beauty of our natural world right at our doorstep. Our natural world is a gift that we are called to protect as stewards of the environment for our children in future generations. This week we celebrate and embrace LAUDATO SI, the powerful encyclical that Pope Francis issued to the world calling for action to work together to save mother earth, our common home.  The theme for this weeklong celebration is, “For we know that things can change” (Laudato Si’ 13). As Pope Francis said on Earth Day, “When this destruction of nature is triggered, it is very difficult to stop it. But we are still in time. And we will be more resilient if we work together instead of doing it alone.” Our students are so aware of the need to be active in this movement, there are many ways that we, as a school community promote earth friendly practices including: composting, recycling of cardboard / paper, soft plastics, care for gardens around our school under the banner of our St Mary’s Environmental Group. It is so encouraging to see the involvement of our children and parents in local community initiatives such as Treading Lightly, Take Three for the Sea and Regrown Conjola. As adults we lead our children through our own actions and words. Thanks for caring for our world!

And here is a little poem to celebrate Ladauto Si this week from Jemima in Year 2

During the week I have had the privilege of welcoming into our school many new Kindergarten students and their families preparing to start school in 2022. It is one of my favourite aspects of my role, to see these beautiful people so full of energy and enthusiasm on the cusp of beginning the great journey of formal education. It is also an opportunity for me to reflect on what these families see and value at St Mary’s. The message I am hearing loud and clear is that St Mary’s is a strong community where children are known and celebrated for who they are, you notice when you walk through our classrooms during the day there is an obvious buzz of learning and working with an overall sense of calmness and purpose. These are indicators of a positive culture in a school community, together we continue to build this with our students, families and staff. It is the little things that make things that make the biggest difference, the way that children greet our visitors with a strong sense of welcome and respect, the presence of our families in school grounds and the peaceful way that staff work with and guide our children. We are truly blessed in so many ways. 

There have been several articles in the news recently regarding the impact that social media and  internet connectivity have on our children. The vulnerability of children who have social media apps being insidiously contacted through messaging functions attached to what appears to be ‘harmless games’. As parents the responsibility lies with us to ensure the safety of our children, if they are using the internet on devices ensure that they are monitored and establish rules that make boundaries clear. The other aspect of devices that concerns me is the impact devices are having in terms of children’s social interaction and the art of conversation. I share with you some tips for teaching your child how to initiate and continue quality conversations:

1.  Be present to the person you are speaking using good eye contact. 
2. Be there to learn something, assume you have something to learn.
3. Ask open ended questions - How did that feel? What was that like, you will get to know that person more deeply.
4. Remember everyone has different perspectives, conversations are about connection and empathy.
5.  Listen - Buddha says ‘If your mouth is open, you are probably not listening. “ Listening can mean giving up control but if you don’t you are not having a conversation. 

Have a lovely week and I will see you around our school.

Yours in  partnership

Laurinda Nelson